While the tobacco companies are one of the main rivals of electronic cigarettes, the industry has realized the potential of smokeless devices. Giant tobacco manufacturer Phillip Morris, which is the company behind popular brands like Marlboro, launched the IQOS, a smokeless alternative to their traditional tobacco products. Unlike electronic cigarettes, the IQOS does contain tobacco, but instead of burning it like regular cigarettes, it heart it up. The company states that since the device doesn’t burn the tobacco, it releases less toxins and prevents the production of harmful smoke and tar. Upon the release of the IQOS, Phillip Morris went as far as stating that this new technology would eventually replace cigarettes.
The IQOS uses tobacco refills that are heated to release tobacco-flavored vapor. It applies concentrated heat to a mixture of tobacco leaves and while the device has been on sale in Japan and other countries since 2014, it was only launched in the UK in 2016. The company is waiting for FDA approval to sell the IQOS in the United States. While it may look and feel like an electronic cigarette, the IQOS aims to stand apart by offering real tobacco taste.
E-cigarettes have reached a high level of popularity and for many people, they have become an effective option to quit smoking, thanks to the fact that they can satisfy nicotine cravings. Additionally, they offer the hand-to-mouth gesture and experience that smokers are used to. However, some people who have tried e-cigarettes, go back to analogue cigarettes mainly because they miss the real taste of tobacco. Although many e-cigs offer a wide range of tobacco flavors, for some smokers, replacing the taste that they are familiar with is very difficult. This is the market that Phillip Morris is targeting with their IQOS smokeless alternative.
After successfully testing markets in Asia and Europe, Phillip Morris decided to continue the expansion of iQOS. The company claims to have achieved a considerable percentage of the market for tobacco products in Japan and it is confident that the IQOS can not only take on e-cigarettes, but also on analogue cigarettes. The new device is set to be a new option for smokers who want to reduce the risks associated to cigarettes. The IQOS could be specially appealing for those who have been smoking Marlboro for years and want a safer alternative, without losing the flavor that they have been enjoying for a long time.
Phillip Morris’ device resembles a vaporizer and offers the portability that you would expect from modern electronic cigarettes. However, as previously mentioned, instead of using e-liquid that provides a dose of nicotine, it uses real tobacco. There are three components: the main unit, a pocket charge and the disposable tobacco sticks called HEETS. The kit contains a pack of 20 sticks that look like small Marlboro cigarettes and that contain a tobacco, nicotine, PG/VG and flavorings. The IQOS device heats the tobacco to a temperature that allows the production of vapor, without burning. The feeling is very close to what you would experience with a dry herb vaporizer. What makes the IQOS different is that like e-cigarettes, it includes Vegetable Glycerin, or Propylene Glycol to produce a higher amount of vapor.
With the IQOS, Phillip Morris is hoping to attract the attention of smokers who are concerned about the health risks of smoking, but who are not ready to quit. The investment and research made to develop the iQOS, shows that they are hoping to improve their profits, particularly in countries where health campaigns, high taxes and restrictions on tobacco products, have affected their sales. E-cigarettes remain strong in this market and they are ahead of the IQOS in terms of design and popularity. In addition, although further research on e-cigarettes is needed, we know more about them and their potential side-effects, while with the IQOS, there is a lack of studies to back up Phillip Morris’ claims about the potential benefits of the product.
Independent investigations have concluded that electronic cigarettes are safer than tobacco products. In the case of the IQOS, Phillip Morris claims that the smokeless device produces at least 90% less harmful chemicals than traditional cigarettes. However, these claims are yet to be confirmed by independent researchers. In the end, the IQOS can only become a true competitor to electronic cigarettes, if it manages to prove that it can reduce the risks of smoking.